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Teen and dog score big wins at youth and state fairs

By Lora E. IdeCorrespondent

Published: Friday, February 22, 2013 at 11:42 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 22, 2013 at 11:42 a.m.

Marion County 4-H members and their dogs arrived early last Sunday for the Southeastern Youth Fair to check in, greet friends and pin on performance numbers. Thirty-five dogs were signed up to compete with their owners in the obedience and agility divisions, including Brittany Landers, 18, and her golden retriever Sampson. Landers and Sampson are fresh off a stellar performance in Tampa on Feb. 8-10 at the Florida State Fair.

Brittany Landers, 18, competes with the golden retriever Sampson, 4, in the advanced agility event during the first day of the Southeastern Youth Fair held at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala on Sunday.

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Mary Antonaccio, who has known the Dunnellon High School senior for three years, predicted Landers and Sampson would also do well in Ocala after watching them in Tampa.

"Brittany made the most points in Tampa of any other kid who competed in the entire state. She competed in showmanship and she came in perfect, (then) in obedience and she came in perfect. Then rally, and she came in perfect. And finally agility, and she came in perfect. I've never seen a sweep like that," Antonaccio said.

Mary Lee Andrewskiewicz, a judge for the Ocala show who was in the 4-H dog program until she graduated from high school, also saw the duo perform in Tampa.

"I wouldn't say I'm surprised that Brittany did so well down there, because I know how good she is. I was very proud of her, and very, very impressed. And, as far as I know, she received a perfect rating on everything," Andrewskiewicz said.

Landers never acts like she knows she's going to win, despite the astounding manner in which she and her dog Sampson perform, Andrewskiewicz added.

"They have a champion youth program in Tampa, and I think Brittany already won that twice. You can only do it twice in a row. I won that as well, when I was competing. That's kind of like an overall high point award," Andrewskiewicz said.

"When Brittany heard the results in Tampa last week, she had this look on her face sort of like, ‘Who, me?' As for Sampson, he was just strutting his stuff," Antonaccio said. "We met through our work with our dogs. Brittany is an adorable kid. She's polite, she's respectful and she's bright. She works well with animals and is very connected to Sampson. If she walks away from him even for a few minutes, he does not take his eyes off of her, and it's that connection that makes her such a good handler," Antonaccio said.

The team that traveled to Tampa included Kim Holmes, Chase Calder and Angel Antonaccio, and it was an exciting moment when everyone heard that Marion's team came in first among 20 from all across Florida.

"Everyone from Marion County was just speechless," Mary Antonaccio said.

In Ocala on Sunday, a frigid morning that began early for competitors, neither the young owners nor dogs seemed nervous. Two golden retrievers reclined in the viewing area. An energized Great Dane loped about, with 14-year-old Angel Antonaccio in tow. A small dog in a blue sweater waited patiently, while nearby an older German shepherd wagged its tail gently and minded its own business. Rounding out the scene were a bright-eyed dachshund, a friendly cocker spaniel and other assorted canines.

The colorful front cover of a 123-page fair catalog peeped from beneath the elbows of parents. The winner of the contest to design the cover was McIntosh resident Elizabeth Bazemore, 12, who was showing her dog, Misty.

Shortly after the show began, Hannah McCallum, of Belleview, entered the ring with her black and white Jack Russell terrier, Jackson. The girl listened intently to Andrewskiewicz's instructions, then dashed across the ring with Jackson at her heels. She later walked around the dog several times, holding the leash high over his head as Jackson sat perfectly still as he was supposed to do. Andrewskiewicz said something to the two and Jackson perked up his ears and wagged his short tail. Then he sat abruptly, on Hannah's left foot. Girl and dog left the ring to applause and exuberant shouts of "Way to go, Hannah!"

"Hannah and Jackson won third in their class," DeDe Bruno said after the event. Bruno is a longtime area dog trainer who helps a number of the 4-Hers train their dogs. "It's fun to work with the kids and then see their faces when they get in the ring with their dogs. And they get so excited when they win."

Landers and Sampson took first place in both divisions for her senior class.

Karen Landers said her daughter plans to stay active in the 4-H program after she graduates, working with younger students as a volunteer and mentor. Brittany also showed a pig Thursday in the fair's swine show.

"She has been with the dog show program for five years, and it's such a good program. She won high point in the Florida State Fair show last year, so we certainly didn't expect it again this year," Karen Landers said.

In addition to having no idea how well she and Sampson were going to do in Tampa and at the show in Ocala, the elder Landers said the teen was finding it a little heartbreaking being so much in the spotlight when so many youngsters and their dogs from all across the state had worked so hard prior to the competitions.

"It's not about winning, so I believe she felt just a little bad for all the other kids," she said.

<p>Marion County 4-H members and their dogs arrived early last Sunday for the Southeastern Youth Fair to check in, greet friends and pin on performance numbers. Thirty-five dogs were signed up to compete with their owners in the obedience and agility divisions, including Brittany Landers, 18, and her golden retriever Sampson. Landers and Sampson are fresh off a stellar performance in Tampa on Feb. 8-10 at the Florida State Fair.</p><p>Mary Antonaccio, who has known the Dunnellon High School senior for three years, predicted Landers and Sampson would also do well in Ocala after watching them in Tampa.</p><p>"Brittany made the most points in Tampa of any other kid who competed in the entire state. She competed in showmanship and she came in perfect, (then) in obedience and she came in perfect. Then rally, and she came in perfect. And finally agility, and she came in perfect. I've never seen a sweep like that," Antonaccio said.</p><p>Mary Lee Andrewskiewicz, a judge for the Ocala show who was in the 4-H dog program until she graduated from high school, also saw the duo perform in Tampa.</p><p>"I wouldn't say I'm surprised that Brittany did so well down there, because I know how good she is. I was very proud of her, and very, very impressed. And, as far as I know, she received a perfect rating on everything," Andrewskiewicz said.</p><hr />
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<hr /><p>Landers never acts like she knows she's going to win, despite the astounding manner in which she and her dog Sampson perform, Andrewskiewicz added.</p><p>"They have a champion youth program in Tampa, and I think Brittany already won that twice. You can only do it twice in a row. I won that as well, when I was competing. That's kind of like an overall high point award," Andrewskiewicz said.</p><p>"When Brittany heard the results in Tampa last week, she had this look on her face sort of like, 'Who, me?' As for Sampson, he was just strutting his stuff," Antonaccio said. "We met through our work with our dogs. Brittany is an adorable kid. She's polite, she's respectful and she's bright. She works well with animals and is very connected to Sampson. If she walks away from him even for a few minutes, he does not take his eyes off of her, and it's that connection that makes her such a good handler," Antonaccio said.</p><p>The team that traveled to Tampa included Kim Holmes, Chase Calder and Angel Antonaccio, and it was an exciting moment when everyone heard that Marion's team came in first among 20 from all across Florida.</p><p>"Everyone from Marion County was just speechless," Mary Antonaccio said.</p><p>In Ocala on Sunday, a frigid morning that began early for competitors, neither the young owners nor dogs seemed nervous. Two golden retrievers reclined in the viewing area. An energized Great Dane loped about, with 14-year-old Angel Antonaccio in tow. A small dog in a blue sweater waited patiently, while nearby an older German shepherd wagged its tail gently and minded its own business. Rounding out the scene were a bright-eyed dachshund, a friendly cocker spaniel and other assorted canines.</p><p>The colorful front cover of a 123-page fair catalog peeped from beneath the elbows of parents. The winner of the contest to design the cover was McIntosh resident Elizabeth Bazemore, 12, who was showing her dog, Misty.</p><p>Shortly after the show began, Hannah McCallum, of Belleview, entered the ring with her black and white Jack Russell terrier, Jackson. The girl listened intently to Andrewskiewicz's instructions, then dashed across the ring with Jackson at her heels. She later walked around the dog several times, holding the leash high over his head as Jackson sat perfectly still as he was supposed to do. Andrewskiewicz said something to the two and Jackson perked up his ears and wagged his short tail. Then he sat abruptly, on Hannah's left foot. Girl and dog left the ring to applause and exuberant shouts of "Way to go, Hannah!"</p><p>"Hannah and Jackson won third in their class," DeDe Bruno said after the event. Bruno is a longtime area dog trainer who helps a number of the 4-Hers train their dogs. "It's fun to work with the kids and then see their faces when they get in the ring with their dogs. And they get so excited when they win."</p><p>Landers and Sampson took first place in both divisions for her senior class.</p><p>Karen Landers said her daughter plans to stay active in the 4-H program after she graduates, working with younger students as a volunteer and mentor. Brittany also showed a pig Thursday in the fair's swine show.</p><p>"She has been with the dog show program for five years, and it's such a good program. She won high point in the Florida State Fair show last year, so we certainly didn't expect it again this year," Karen Landers said.</p><p>In addition to having no idea how well she and Sampson were going to do in Tampa and at the show in Ocala, the elder Landers said the teen was finding it a little heartbreaking being so much in the spotlight when so many youngsters and their dogs from all across the state had worked so hard prior to the competitions.</p><p>"It's not about winning, so I believe she felt just a little bad for all the other kids," she said.</p>